Egg on Toast Romanian Style – Recipe

This is my adaptation of a Romanian recipe – Ochiuri cu Praz.
It serves 2 on its own or 4 served with a hearty salad or similar accompaniment.

Ingredients for Egg on Toast Romanian Style:

• You need 4 very chunky slices of bread, homemade or something like a bloomer. I find it is best if it’s a day or two old and slightly stale (shop sliced bread just goes soggy)
• 4 eggs
• 50g of butter plus extra for frying the bread
• 1-1½ tsp flour
• 300ml milk
• 1 leek or a bunch of salad onions depending on the season
• 50g of cheese, grated – cheddar is good but you can use any cheese really
• Paprika
• Black pepper
• 1 tomato – optional

Method for Egg on Toast Romanian Style:

1. Clean and finely chop the leek/onion. Fry lightly in the butter. Add the flour to make a roux and then slowly add the milk to make a sauce. It needs to be a similar thickness to the Bechamel used on Lasagne.
2. Fry the slices of bread in butter and lay flat in an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with a good pinch of Paprika. Poach the eggs and place one on each slice of bread. Pour over the sauce and top with the cheese. Slice the tomato if using and lay the slices on top of the cheese and finish with a dash of pepper.
3. Put in a pre heated oven for 3-4 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.